Game system and method of controlling game information

ABSTRACT

A game system reflects a plurality of subjective elements about players to a game. In the game system, evaluations to a player acquired by game apparatuses of other players relative to a plurality of evaluation items are acquired as the evaluation to the player, and each evaluation history of the player is updated depending on the acquired evaluation dedicated to the player. Further, a value corresponding to each evaluation history is set as a coordinate value in a coordinate space defined by coordinate axes of a plurality of evaluation items, thereby an evaluation position of the player in the coordinate space is specified. Then, a processing about the game is performed based on the specified evaluation position.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-149796 filed on May 23, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a game system which causes a game to be played among a plurality of players, and to a method of controlling game information about the game.

2. Description of the Related Art

As regards games played among a plurality of game machines connected by a communication line, there have been known game systems in which a player evaluates other players and the players are grouped (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-281142 and “Battle Climax”, Arcadia Magazine, June 2004 (No. 49), published by ENTERBRAIN INC. on Jun. 1, 2004, Vol. 5 No. 6 (Serial Number 49), pp. 24-31).

However, the evaluation of the conventional game system is based on objective data of each player such as a winning percentage based on a past game result, a game play count, or a profile. Accordingly, it is difficult to judge subjective elements of the player with objective data. Further, when there are conflicting subjective elements such as play styles in a wrestling game, it is preferable to reflect any subjective elements in the game, but there is no game system like that. Accordingly, in a game, the game contents of which are strongly affected by the play styles, if the grouped play styles are different from one another, any players cannot sufficiently enjoy the game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a game system which reflects a plurality of subjective elements about players to a game and a method of controlling information for the game.

The invention solves the above-described problems by using device which will be described below.

In order to solve the above-described problems, according to an aspect of the invention, a game system includes a plurality of game machines which perform data transmission and reception through a communication line, a player information storage device for storing player identification information for identifying each of a plurality of players respectively operating the plurality of game machines in association with player information including an evaluation history indicative of a history of evaluation to play of corresponding player, and an evaluation history processing device which executes a processing based on the evaluation history of the player information. In the game system, players grouped by a predetermined way from the plurality of players to play a game. Each of the plurality of game machines includes a game control device for controlling the game played by a player operating the game machine and other players grouped with the player, an opponent evaluation acquiring device for acquiring evaluations on other players by the player operating the game machine about a plurality of evaluation items relative to play contents of the game, and an evaluation history updating device for acquiring the evaluation to the player operating the game machine acquired by the opponent evaluation acquiring device of the game machines of other players as an evaluation to the player, and updates the evaluation history corresponding to the evaluation items included in the player information of the player operating the game machine by the acquired evaluation to the player relative to the plurality of evaluation items. The evaluation history processing device includes an evaluation position specifying device for referring to the evaluation history included in the player information, and setting a value corresponding to each evaluation history as a coordinate value in a coordinate space defined by coordinate axes of the plurality of evaluation items to specify an evaluation position of the player corresponding to the player information in the coordinate space, and an evaluation position processing device for performing a processing about the game based on the specified evaluation position.

According to this configuration, the play contents of the player are evaluated by opponents, and the processing about the game is performed based on the history of the evaluation. Accordingly, the game is performed in consideration of subjective elements of the player, and the evaluation of the player is judged in light of opponent, not the player himself/herself. Therefore, a fair and accurate evaluation can be performed, as compared with a case where the player performs his/her own evaluation.

Further, the plurality of evaluation items are prepared and the evaluation history corresponding to each evaluation item is treated as the coordinate value. Then, a position in the coordinate space defined by the coordinate axes corresponding to each evaluation item is set as the evaluation position of the player. Accordingly, it is possible to easily and generally grasp a relative relation of the plurality of evaluation items as the evaluation about the play of the player. Therefore, even though there are enormous players, it is possible to easily recognize an inclination of a player relative to each evaluation item. Further, each evaluation item is treated as the coordinate value of the evaluation position, and thus each evaluation item can be geometrically treated.

Moreover, the number of evaluation items is not limited. For example, when the number of evaluation items is n, the evaluation history becomes a coordinate value in an n-dimensional coordinate system. Therefore, according to the aspect of the invention, it is possible to generally reflect the plurality of subjective elements in the game by geometrically grasping the relative relation of the plurality of subjective elements.

Further, the game system according to the aspect of the invention may further include a server which performs data transmission and reception with the plurality of game machines. In this case, the evaluation history processing device may be provided in the server. Further, the evaluation position specifying device of the evaluation history processing device may specify the evaluation positions of the plurality of players, and the evaluation position processing device may group players whose specified evaluation positions have a predetermined relation. Accordingly, when grouping the players as fighting opponents by the server, it is possible to group the players in consideration the relative relation of the plurality of evaluation items relative to each player. The predetermined relation may be, for example, a relation satisfying an arbitrary equation, in addition to a relation about a distance.

Further, the evaluation position processing device may determine groups such that a distance between the specified evaluation positions corresponding to the players to be grouped is in a predetermined range. Accordingly, the players whose evaluation positions are in the predetermined range are grouped as the fighting opponents. Therefore, it is possible to group the players who have a similar play style on the whole, for example, when each evaluation item relates a play style. The predetermined range includes a range on a line such as a line or a curve, a region such as a circle, a rectangle, a globe, or a cube, and a range defined by a plurality of equations having a limited range of a coefficient.

Further, the evaluation history processing device may be provided in the game machine. In this case, the evaluation position specifying device of the evaluation history processing device may specify the evaluation position of the player operating the game machine, the evaluation position processing device may determine an operation to the game machine depending on the specified evaluation position, and the game control device may perform the processing about the game based on the operation determined by the evaluation position processing device as an operation performed by the player operating the game machine. Accordingly, even though the player does not operate the game machine, an operation depending on the play inclination of the player is determined, whereby the game can proceed depending on the determined operation. Since the operation is determined based on the evaluation position corresponding to the player, it is possible to proceed with the game like the player to play rather than predetermined operations. Therefore, it is possible to cause the player to feel much interest in the game.

When the game control device judges that the operation to the game machine of the player operating the game machine is not performed during a predetermined input time in the game, the evaluation position specifying device may specify the evaluation position, and the evaluation position processing device may determine the operation. Accordingly, as for a game having a limited time for operating the game machine, even though the player cannot operate the game machine, it is possible to proceed with the game in accordance with the play inclination of the player. Therefore, a processing of waiting for a player input is not required and thus it is possible to proceed with the game based on the play inclination of the player without losing a tempo and a feeling of tension of the game.

The game may be a professional wrestling game. In this case, the plurality of evaluation items may include a degree of emphasis on performance indicating an evaluation as a professional wrestling and a degree of emphasis on win indicating an evaluation as a fighting game. Further, the coordinate space may be divided into a plurality of regions, the evaluation position specifying device may refer to the evaluation history corresponding to each of the degree of emphasis on win and the degree of emphasis on performance of the player to specify the evaluation position of the player, and the evaluation position processing device may judge which region of the plurality of regions includes the specified evaluation position and may perform a processing depending on the region including the evaluation position to determine the operation. Accordingly, since different kinds of processing can be performed for the regions of the coordinate space defined by the evaluation items, it is possible to perform a characteristic processing on the evaluation in consideration of the relative relation of each evaluation items in each region.

The processing depending on the region may be a processing based on a proceed criterion of an actual professional wrestling match in a region having a high degree of emphasis on performance, and a processing to cause the player to win against an opponent depending on a win-loss criterion of the game in a region having a low degree of emphasis on performance. Accordingly, since the processing is performed based on a processing peculiar to a professional wrestling match in the region where the degree of emphasis on performance is high, the player having the high degree of emphasis on performance can play the game in accordance with the game proceed to emphasize on entertainment of professional wrestling rather than win against the opponent. Further, since the processing to win the game in accordance with the win-loss criterion of the game is performed in the region where the degree of emphasis on performance is low, the player having the low degree of emphasis on performance can play the game in accordance with the game proceed to win against the opponent.

A method of controlling game information in a game is provided to solve the above-described problems, in the game, player identification information for identifying each of a plurality of players in association with player information including an evaluation history indicative of a history of evaluation to play of corresponding player is stored, and the player information corresponding to each of players grouped from the plurality of players is referred. The method has the steps of acquiring evaluations to a specific player by other players grouped with the player about a plurality of evaluation items relative to game contents; updating the evaluation history corresponding to the evaluation items included in the player information of the specific player depending on the acquired evaluations by the other players about the plurality of evaluation items; referring to each evaluation history included in the player information of the specific player, and setting a value corresponding to the evaluation history as a coordinate value in a coordinate space defined by coordinate axes of the plurality of evaluation items to specify an evaluation position of the player corresponding to the player information in the coordinate space; and executing a processing about the game based on the specified evaluation position.

According to this aspect, the play contents of the player are evaluated by opponents the processing about the game is performed based on the history of the evaluation. Hence, in the same way as the above mentioned game system, the game is performed in consideration of subjective elements of the player and a fair and accurate evaluation can be performed as compared with a case where the player performs his/her own evaluation. Further, the plurality of evaluation items are prepared and the evaluation history corresponding to each evaluation item is treated as the coordinate value, thereby the relative relation of the plurality of evaluation items about play of each player can be specified as the evaluation position, and the relation is easily recognized.

Moreover, the plurality of players includes a virtual player controlled by a computer. Therefore, the game according to the invention includes a case where the game is played by actual players respectively operating the plurality of game machines, and a case where the player information about the virtual player and the player information about the actual player are stored in one game machine, and the game is played between the actual player and the virtual player in one game machine. Further, the number of evaluation items is not limited. For example, when the number of evaluation items is n, the evaluation history becomes a coordinate value in an n-dimensional coordinate system. Therefore, according to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to comprehensively reflect the plurality of subjective elements to the game by geometrically grasping the relative relation of the plurality of subjective elements.

As described above, according to the present invention, the evaluations to the player by the opponents relative to the plurality of evaluation items are acquired, and the evaluation position of each player in the coordinate space is specified by setting the value corresponding to the evaluation history to be the history of the evaluation as the coordinate value in the coordinate space defined by the coordinate axes of the plurality of evaluation items. Further, the processing about the game is performed based on the specified evaluation position. Therefore, the game system like that can be provided, where the plurality of subjective elements about the player can be reflected to the game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a game system GS according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the configuration of a server;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the configuration of a game machine;

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing wrestler information;

FIG. 4B is a diagram showing technique information;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing player information;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the concept of an evaluation history information;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing wrestler cards and technique cards that a player possesses in advance;

FIG. 8 is a sequence view showing data transmission and reception between the game machine and the server at the time of an entry processing or a matching processing;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow of the matching processing performed by the server;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which an evaluation position of each player is specified;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which groups are determined depending on the evaluation positions;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of a fighting game processing performed by the game machine;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing subsequent to FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state in which a coordinate space is divided into five regions;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of a technique determination processing performed by the game machine;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of a processing for emphasizing on performance performed during the technique determination processing;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the flow of a processing for emphasizing on win performed during the technique determination processing;

FIG. 18A is a diagram showing a line on which a ratio of a degree of emphasis on performance can be obtained by the degree of emphasis on performance;

FIG. 18B is a diagram showing a line on which a ratio of a degree of emphasis on win can be obtained by the degree of emphasis on win;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing the flow of a technique result processing performed by the game machine;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the flow of an evaluation processing performed by the game machine;

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of an evaluation input screen; and

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of a screen on which an evaluation result is displayed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or identical elements throughout the various drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a game system GS according to an embodiment of the invention. A game system GS is connected to a plurality of game machine G1, G2, G3, and G4 and a server S through a communication network N so as to be capable of data transmission and reception. A game data storage device D for storing each data about a game is directly connected to the server S. In addition, the game machines G1 to G4 may transmit and receive data through the communication network N. For example, the game machines G1 to G4 may be installed in the same shop.

The plurality of game machines G1, G2, G3, and G4 are operated by players P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively. Hereinafter, when the plurality of game machines G1, G2, G3, and G4 and the players P1, P2, P3, and P4 do not need to be particularly distinguished, the game machines G1, G2, G3, and G4 are referred to as “game machine G” and the players P1, P2, P3, and P4 are referred to as “player P”. In addition, the player P who operates the game machine G is referred to as “player P of game machine G” and the game machine G operated by the player P is referred to as “game machine G of player P.”

In the game system GS according to this embodiment of the invention, a professional wrestling game in which two players P of two game machines G are grouped as fighting opponents is played by using cards. The communication network N according to this embodiment uses a public circuit such as the Internet. Further, each game machine G and the server S have unique IP addresses, and data transmission and reception is performed by using the IP addresses.

The server S performs transmission and reception of data stored in the game data storage device D depending on a request from the game machine G, in addition to a matching processing which will be described below. FIG. 2 shows the schematic configuration of the server S. The server S has a communication unit S10 which performs data transmission and reception with the game machines G, an input/output unit S20 which inputs and outputs data to/from the game data storage device D, and a control unit S30 which controls each unit of the server S. The control unit S30 is configured as a computer which includes a CPU S31 and various peripheral circuits such as a RAM S32 and a ROM S33 required for the operations of the CPU S31. The control unit S30 mainly functions as an evaluation history processing device.

The game machine G runs the professional wrestling game together with other game machines G grouped by the server S and performs an evaluation processing described below after the game ends. FIG. 3 shows the schematic configuration of the game machine G. The game machine G includes an operating unit G10 which has various levers and buttons operated by a player P, a card reading unit G20 which reads data of a card to be properly used by the player during the game, an entry card input unit G21 into which an entry card to be used at the time of an entry is inserted, a communication unit G30 which performs data transmission and reception with the server S or other game machines G, a storage unit G40 which stores various kinds of data about the game, a monitor G50 which shows proceed states of the game and various messages to the player, a sound output unit G60 which outputs various sound effects, and a control unit G70 which controls the operations of each unit of the game machine G.

The control unit G70 is configured as a computer which has a CPU G71 and various peripheral circuits such as a RAM G72 and a ROM G73 required for the operations of the CPU G71. The control unit G70 mainly functions as a game control device, an opponent evaluation acquiring device, an evaluation history updating device, and an evaluation history processing device. Moreover, the operating unit G10 includes a fall button for assigning a fall described below, and a passive button for assigning a passive state.

The game data storage device D stores wrestler information 20 about each wrestler and technique information 30 about each technique, as common data of the game system GS. As shown in FIG. 4A, in the wrestler information 20, a wrestler ID 21 unique for each wrestler is associated with values of power 22, speed 23, technique 24, tough 25, and vitality 26 as fighting parameters of the wrestler. The value of each fighting parameter indicates basic capability of the wrestler and is fixedly set to the wrestler. Accordingly, the game data storage device D functions as a player information storage device.

As shown in FIG. 4B, in the technique information 30, a technique ID 31 unique for each technique is associated with values of power 32, speed 33, technique 34, maximum damage degree 35, cost consumption 36, and level 37 as technique parameters of the technique. The power 32, speed 33, and technique 34 indicate capability of the wrestler required for using the technique. The maximum damage degree 35 indicates a maximum damage degree which can be given against the opponent. The cost consumption 36 indicates a holding cost requested when the wrestler uses the technique. The holding cost will be described below. The level 37 indicates a level of each technique, that is, primary, medium, or advanced levels. A level 1 corresponds to the primary level, a level 2 corresponds to the medium level, and a level 3 corresponds to the advanced level. Moreover, it is assumed that the technique includes “defense” which device to be passive toward to the technique.

In addition, the game data storage device D stores player information 40 about each player P. FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of the player information 40 stored in the game data storage device D. In the player information 40, information about the player P is associated with a player ID 41 as player identification information unique for each player. The player information 40 also includes a participation count 42 indicative of how many the player P has participated in the game, a winning percentage 43, and a plurality of wrestler IDs 21. Each of the wrestler IDs 21 is associated with evaluation history information 44 and the plurality of technique ID 31. Then, each technique ID 31 is associated with an experience value 45.

The wrestler ID 21 included in the player information 40 indicates a wrestler ID of a wrestler possessed by the player P. The technique ID 31 of the player information 40 is a technique ID of a technique registered as a technique used by an associated wrestler. FIG. 5 shows a state where the player P possesses wrestlers A and B, three techniques are associated with the wrestler A, and two techniques are associated with the wrestler B. The experience value 45 is a parameter indicative of how many percent of the maximum damage degree 35 can be given against the opponent when a wrestler of the wrestler ID 21 makes an attack against the opponent by the technique ID 31.

The evaluation history information 44 is information about a history of evaluations relative to an associated wrestler. In this embodiment according to the invention, a degree of emphasis on performance and a degree of emphasis on win are provided as evaluation items. The degree of emphasis on performance is an item for evaluating a degree of emphasizing an interest of a professional wrestling match as against the game result of the game in the professional wrestling game. The degree of emphasis on win is an item for evaluating a degree of emphasizing the game result of the game as against the interest of the professional wrestling match in the professional wrestling game. The evaluation history information 44 has the evaluation history which is the history of the evaluation performed by the fighting opponents relative to each of the evaluation items.

Each of the evaluation history has a value which ranges from −500 to +500. As shown in FIG. 6, the evaluation history information 44 is possessed as a coordinate value in a coordinate space α including an X axis indicative of the evaluation history of the degree of emphasis on win and a Y axis indicative of the evaluation history of the degree of emphasis on performance. For example, if the evaluation history information 44 is (300, 250), it indicates that the evaluation history of the degree of emphasis on win is 300 and the evaluation history of the degree of emphasis on performance is 250. A position specified by the evaluation history information 44 in the coordinate space α is referred to as an evaluation position HP. It is possible to judge a wrestler, that is, a play style of the player who uses the wrestler by totaling conflicting play styles depending on the evaluation position HP in the coordinate space α. Hereinafter, each of the evaluation histories of the evaluation history information 44 can be simply referred to as the degree of emphasis on performance and the degree of emphasis on win. In addition, a method of calculating the evaluation history information 44 will be described below.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the player P has several kinds of wrestler cards R1, . . . , Rn and technique cards W1, . . . , Wn. A wrestler who corresponds to the wrestler card Rn is referred to as a wrestler Rn, a technique which corresponds to the technique card Wm is referred to as a technique Wm. In addition, when it is not necessary to distinguish the wrestler cards R1 . . . Rn, the technique cards W1 . . . Wn, the wrestlers R1 . . . Rn, and the techniques W1 . . . Wn, the wrestler cards R1 . . . Rn are referred to as “wrestler card R”, the technique cards W1 . . . Wn are referred to as “technique card W”, the wrestlers R1 . . . Rn are referred to as “wrestler R”, and the techniques W1 . . . Wn are referred to as “technique W”.

In the game, the player P can assign the wrestler R relative to the game machine G by allowing the card reading unit G20 to read the wrestler card R. In addition, the player P can assign the technique W relative to the game machine G by allowing the card reading unit G20 to read the technique card W. Hereinafter, allowing the card reading unit G20 to read the wrestler card R is referred to as “assign the wrestler R”, and allowing the card reading unit G20 to read the technique card W is referred to as “assign the technique W”.

In the wrestler card R, the wrestler ID 21 of the wrestler R described in the card is stored. If the card reading unit G20 of the game machine G reads the wrestler card R, the wrestler information 20 possessed by the game machine G can be used with the wrestler ID 21 as a key. The technique ID 31 is stored in the technique card W. If the card reading unit G20 reads the technique card W, the technique information 30 possessed by the game machine G can be used with the technique ID 31 as a key.

Hereinafter, various kinds of processing wile the player P participates in the professional wrestling game provided by the game system GS, and the evaluation is performed will be described. First, a processing executed from when the player P entries into the game to when the player P is determined to be grouped with another player P who is the fighting opponent will be described with reference to a sequence view of FIG. 8, in accordance with an example situation where the player P1 of the game machine G1 entries and the player P4 is determined as the fighting opponent.

If the player P1 performs a predetermined entry operation relative to the game machine G1 in order to entry into the game, an entry processing (Step S100) is performed. In this embodiment, as the entry operation, the player P1 allows the entry card input unit G21 to read the entry card storing the player ID 41, and the player P assigns the wrestler R participating in the game and a plurality of techniques W to be used by the wrestler R. Accordingly, the wrestler R participating in the game and the techniques W to be used by the wrestler R are assigned.

In this embodiment, a case where a wrestler R1 is assigned as the wrestler R participating in the game by the player P1 and techniques W1, . . . , Wn are assigned as the techniques to be used will be described. If the player ID 41 of the player P1 is read through the entry card, the wrestler ID 21 of the wrestler R1 is read through the wrestler R1, and the technique IDs 31 of the techniques W1, . . . , W10 to be used in the game are read through the technique cards W1, . . . , Wn by the game machine G1, respectively, the game machine G1 transmits entry information including the read player ID 41, wrestler ID 21, and technique IDs 31 to the server S.

If the server S receives the entry information, referring to each ID 41, ID21, ID31 included in the entry information, the server S extracts the player information 40 associated with the player ID 41, the wrestler information 20 associated with the wrestler ID 21, and the technique information 30 associated with each technique ID 31 from the game data storage device unit, respectively. The server S specifies the participation count 42 and the winning percentage 43 relative to the extracted player information 40, specifies the evaluation history information 44 and the technique IDs 31 associated with the wrestler ID 21 included in the entry information, and specifies the experience value 45 associated with each of the specified technique ID 31.

Each data of the player information 40 specified by the above-described processing is transmitted to the game machine G1 as the player information 40 of the player P1, in addition to the extracted wrestler information 20 and the extracted technique information 30. Hereinafter, the player information 40, the wrestler information 20, and the technique information 30 to be transmitted from the server S to the game machine G in the entry processing will be collectively referred to as fighting data. The game machine G1 stores received fighting data in the storage unit G40. Accordingly, the storage unit G40 functions as a player information storage device. At this time, the player ID 41 of the player P1 is associated with the wrestler information 20 and the technique information 30 included in received fighting data. Hereinafter, various kinds of data in association with the player ID 41 of the player P1 is will be referred to as “fighting data of player P1”. Then, the entry processing ends.

If the game machine G1 receives fighting data of the player P1, the game machine G1 transmits a matching request including the player ID 41 of the player P1, the wrestler ID 21 of the wrestler R1 participating in the game, and the evaluation history information 44 of the wrestler R1 to the server S (step S110). The server S which receives the matching request performs a matching processing (Step S120). If the player P1 and the player P4 are determined as the fighting opponents in the matching processing, the server S transmits a matching result notification which notifies the player P1 and the player P4 of the fighting opponents. Hereinafter, the player P4 is sometimes referred to as a fighting opponent P4. The matching processing will be described below in detail.

If the game machine G1 receives the matching result notification (Step S130), the game machine G1 transmits his/her fighting data to an IP address of the fighting opponent P4 included in the received matching result notification (Step S140). In addition, the game machine G1 receives fighting data of the fighting opponent P4 transmitted from the fighting opponent P4 and stores the fighting data in the storage unit G40 (Step S150). Then, the process proceeds to a fighting processing. In the game machine G4 of the fighting opponent P4, the same entry processing as that in the game machine G1 is performed.

The matching processing will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 9. The matching processing is performed by the control unit S30 of the server S. The server S receives the matching request transmitted from each game machine G while counting the entry time of a predetermined length (Step S121). If the server S receives the matching request, the server S associates the player ID 41, the evaluation history information 44 of the wrestler R, the wrestler ID 21 and an IP address indicative of a transmission source included in the received matching request with one another to store, for example, in the RAM 32. It is judged whether a timer of the entry time is up (Step S122). When the entry time is not up, the process returns to the step S121 to continue receiving the matching request.

When it is judged that the timer is up, the entry time is expired and the evaluation position HP of each player P is specified (Step S123). Accordingly, the control unit S30 functions as an evaluation position specifying device. Since the player P corresponds to the wrestler R specified by the player by one-to-one, the evaluation position HP of the player P is the same as the evaluation position HP of the wrestler R. In this embodiment, since the value of the evaluation history information 44 is held as the evaluation position of the coordinate space α, the evaluation history information 44 may be specified as the coordinate value as it is. For example, when the evaluation history information 44 of the wrestler R1 is (150, 125), the evaluation position HP1 of the player P1 is located as shown in FIG. 10. In the same manner, each of the evaluation positions HP2, . . . , HP4 of the players P2, . . . P4 are specified. Hereinafter, if the evaluation positions do not need to be particularly distinguished, the evaluation positions HP1, . . . , HP4 are referred to as the evaluation position HP.

After the evaluation position HP is specified to each player P, two evaluation positions HP included in a circle Q having a predetermined radius are specified. The players P corresponding to the specified two evaluation positions HP are grouped as the fighting opponents (Step S124). Accordingly, the control unit S30 functions as an evaluation position processing device. The radius of the circle Q may be fixedly set or properly set in accordance with the number of players P who entry into the game or the distribution of the evaluation positions HP. As shown in FIG. 11, the evaluation position HP4 is included in the circle Q relative to the evaluation position HP1, but the evaluation position HP2 and the evaluation position HP3 are not included in the circle Q, then, the player P1 and the player P4 are grouped as the fighting opponents. On the other hand, since the evaluation position HP3 is included in the circle Q with respect to the evaluation position HP2, the player P2 and the player P3 are grouped as the fighting opponents. Thereby the players P (wrestlers R) having similar play styles are grouped since the players P having close evaluation histories are grouped.

If grouping of the players P who entry into the game ends, the matching result notification including the IP address of the grouped player P as the IP address of the fighting opponent is transmitted to each player P (Step S125). Accordingly, in this embodiment, the matching result notification including the IP address of the game machine G4 of the player P4 is transmitted to the game machine G1 and the matching result notification including the IP address of the game machine G1 of the player P1 is transmitted to the game machine G4, respectively.

After the fighting opponents are determined, the fighting processing for the professional wrestling game as a fighting game is performed. The fighting processing will be described with reference to flowcharts of FIGS. 12 and 13. The fighting processing is performed by the control unit G70 of each game machine G. Accordingly, the control unit G70 functions as a game control device. In this embodiment, a case where the player P1 and the player P4 are grouped as the fighting opponents by the matching processing and fight against each other will be described. In addition, in this embodiment, after an adjustment is made between the game machines G1 and G4 fighting against each other, the game machine G1 becomes a game server and the game machine G4 becomes a game client so as to proceed the fighting game. The fighting processing of the game machine G1 and the fighting processing of the game machine G4 can be properly synchronized by a known method.

Hereinafter, if there is no particular notice, and when each data included in fighting data of the player P1 in the game machine G1 is used, each data associated with the player ID 41 is used by functioning the player ID 41 of the player P1 stored in the storage unit G40 of the game machine G1 as a key. On the other hand, when each data included in fighting data of the player P4 in the game machine G4 is used, each data associated with the player ID 41 is used by functioning the player ID 41 of the player P4 stored in the storage unit G40 of the game machine G4 as a key.

Since each processing in the steps S200 to S245 is performed in the game machines G1 and G2 in the same manner, the processing executed in the game machine G1 will be described. First, initial values for the game are set (Step S200). The initial values for the game include the vitality parameter of the wrestler R1, the holding cost, and various timers including a game timer, and various flags. The initial value of the vitality parameter is a value of the vitality 26 of the wrestler R1 and decreases in accordance with an attack from the opponent. Further, the vitality parameter of the fighting opponent P is held so as to be recognized during the game.

The holding cost is a cost for using the technique W and a predetermined value is given in advance as an initial value. The holding cost decreases in accordance with the value of the cost consumption 36 of the used technique W. The technique W, the cost consumption 36 of which is larger than that of the technique W, cannot be used. In addition, the game timer is for measuring the elapsed time of the game. The control unit G70 judges a current proceed state of the game from the opening, middle, and end of the game in accordance with the elapsed time of the game timer.

Next, it is judged whether or not it is a technique assignment timing capable of assigning the technique W (Step S210). When it is judged that it is the technique assignment timing, a timer for the technique assignment timing set to a predetermined length starts to count the time. Next, it is judged whether or not the technique W is assigned (Step S220). It is judged that the technique W is assigned when the player P1 allows the card reading unit G20 of the game machine G1 to read any one of technique cards W. Hereinafter, the technique W assigned by the player P1 is referred to as a technique WP1.

When it is judged that the technique WP1 is assigned, the process proceeds to the step S245. When it is judged that the technique WP1 is not assigned, it is judged whether or not the technique assignment timing ends (Step S230). If the count of the timer of the technique assignment timing ends, it is judged that the technique assignment timing ends. If it is judged that the technique assignment timing does not end, the process returns to the step S220. If it is judged that the technique assignment timing ends, the process proceeds to a technique determination processing (Step S240). In the technique determination processing, the control unit G70 of the game machine G1 determines one technique W in place of the player P1. The technique determination processing will be described below. Hereinafter, the technique W assigned by the player P1 or P4 and the technique W determined by the technique determination processing will be referred to as a technique WP1 of the player P1 or a technique WP4 of the player P4. After the technique determination processing ends, the process proceeds to the step S245.

In the step S245, the cost consumption of the technique WP1 is subtracted from the holding cost of the player P1 and the holding cost is updated. Then, the control unit G70 of the game machine G1 waits to receive the technique ID from the game machine G4. On the other hand, in the game machine G4, after the technique WP4 of the player P4 is specified or determined, the technique ID of the technique WP4 is transmitted to the game machine G1 (Step S250). The game machine G1 receives the technique ID transmitted from the game machine G4 (Step S260) and performs a technique result processing after receiving the technique ID from the game machine G4 (Step S270). In the technique result processing, it is judged which technique wins based on the technique information 30 of each of the technique WP1 of the player P1 and the technique WP2 of the player P4. The technique result processing will be described below.

If the technique result processing ends, all of the parameters used during fighting are transmitted from the game machine G1 to the game machine G4 (Step S280), and the game machine G4 receives all of the parameters transmitted from the game machine G1 (Step S290). After all of the parameters are transmitted and received, it is judged whether or not a fall is established by each of the game machines G1 and G2 (Step S300). The establishment of the fall is judged in accordance with a state of a flag which indicates the establishment of the fall in the technique result processing which will be described below. If it is judged that the fall is not established, the process returns to the step S210 so as to return to a state where the technique W can be assigned again.

On the other hand, if it is judged that the fall is established, for example, if the player P1 establishes the fall, it is determined that the player P1 “wins a game” and the player P4 “loses a game”. The win-loss result of the game is displayed on a monitor G50 of each of the game machines G1 and G4 and the fighting game ends (Step S310).

The technique determination processing will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 18. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the coordinate space α is divided into five evaluation regions A to E, and a processing according to each evaluation region is performed. An inclination of the play style of the wrestler R is displayed as described below according to the evaluation region where the evaluation position HP is located. The evaluation region E indicates that the inclination of the play style is not determined clearly yet. The evaluation region A indicates emphasis on performance and emphasis on win, the evaluation region B indicates emphasis on performance rather than win, the evaluation region C indicates emphasis on win rather than performance, and the evaluation region D indicates emphasis on neither a performance nor a win.

The flow of the technique determination processing performed in the game machine G1 will be described with reference to flowcharts of FIGS. 15 to 17. The technique determination processing is performed by the control unit G70 of the game machine G. Hence, the control unit G70 functions as the evaluation position specifying device. First, an evaluation region to which the evaluation position HP1 of the player P1 belongs is specified (Step S400). As described above, since the evaluation position HP1 of the player P1 is the evaluation position HP1 of the wrestler R1, the evaluation position HP1 may be specified by referring to the evaluation history information 44 of the wrestler R1 and the evaluation region where the evaluation position HP1 is located may be specified.

In this embodiment, the evaluation region E is determined when the degree of emphasis on performance ranges from −50 to +50, regardless of the degree of emphasis on win. The evaluation region A is determined when the degree of emphasis on win is 0 or more and the degree of emphasis on performance is 50 or more. The evaluation region B is determined when the degree of emphasis on performance is 50 or more and the degree of emphasis on win is 0 or less. The evaluation region C is determined when the degree of emphasis on performance is −50 or less and the degree of emphasis on win is 0 or more. The evaluation region D is determined when the degree of emphasis on performance is −50 or less and the degree of emphasis on win is 0 or less. Since the evaluation position HP1 of the player P1 is (150, 125), the evaluation region A is specified. Hereinafter, since the player P and the wrestler R assigned by the player R is one-to-one, the technique of the wrestler R will be described as the technique of the player P.

Next, if the evaluation region is specified, a processing in accordance with the evaluation region is selected (Step S410). When the evaluation region A or B is specified, a processing for emphasizing on performance is selected and the process proceeds to the step S500. When the evaluation region C or D is specified, a processing for emphasizing on win is selected and the process proceeds to the step S600. In the processing for emphasizing on performance, the technique W of the player P is determined in place of the player P who comparatively emphasizes on entertaining performance. In the processing for emphasizing on win, the technique W of the player P is determined in place of the player P who does not insist on entertaining performance. Hence, the control unit G70 functions as an evaluation position processing device. Since the evaluation region A is specified in this embodiment, the processing for emphasizing on performance is selected. The processing for emphasizing on performance and the processing for emphasizing on win will be described below.

On the other hand, when the evaluation position HP exists in the evaluation region E, the processing is determined by a ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance. The ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance is a ratio to which a value of the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation position HP corresponds when the minimum value of the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation region E is set as 0% and the maximum value is set as 100%. For example, in a coordinate space β having an X axis which indicates the degree of emphasis on performance and a Y axis which indicates the ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance as shown in FIG. 18A, the ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance corresponding to the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation position HP may be calculated by using a line L1 which connects a point (the minimum value of the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation region E, 0%) to a point (the maximum value of the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation region E, 100%). In this embodiment, the degree of emphasis on performance which ranges from −50 to +50 is set as the evaluation region E, and thus the ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance corresponding to the evaluation position HP may be calculated by using the line L1 which connects a point (−50, 0%) and a point (+50, 100%).

According to the ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance obtained by the above-described method, the processing for emphasizing on performance is selected from the processing for emphasizing on win and the processing for emphasizing on performance. That is, when the ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance is 50%, the processing for emphasizing on performance is selected with a probability of 50%. Further, when the ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance is 30%, the processing for emphasizing on performance is selected with a probability of 30%. A processing selected in accordance with the ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance is performed according to a known method.

The processing for emphasizing on performance will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 16. Since the processing for emphasizing on performance is a processing which determines the technique W in place of the player P who comparatively emphasizes on entertaining performance, the technique W is selected in accordance with conventions in a professional wrestling in the actual wrestling match. First, it is judged whether the technique W previously used is “defense” (Step S510). The technique ID of the technique W previously used may be stored, for example, in the RAM 72 and it may be judged whether the stored technique ID corresponds to “defense”. If the technique ID does not correspond to “defense”, “defense” is selected as the technique W (Step S520).

If it is judged that the technique ID corresponds to “defense”, a level of the selected technique W is determined (Step S530). In this embodiment, the technique level 37 is determined as 1 in case of the opening of the game, and the technique level 37 is determined as 2 or 3 in case of the middle of the game. In case of the end of the game, the level of the technique W is determined at which all of 1 to 3 are selected. Hence, when it is judged as the opening of the game by referring to the game timer, the level 37 of the technique W to be selected is determined as 1. Thereafter, the technique ID, the experience value 45, and the cost consumption 36 about the technique W corresponding to the determined level are extracted from the techniques W associated with the wrestler R assigned by the player P (Step S540). Hereinafter, all of the techniques extracted depending on the determined level are referred to as selectable techniques. A method of selecting one technique W from the selectable techniques is determined by the ratio of the degree of emphasis on win (Step S550). In this embodiment, two kinds of methods of selecting the technique are prepared. One is a selection method for emphasizing on win that a stronger technique is selected from the selectable techniques, and the other is an unlimited selection method that a desired technique is selected from all of the selectable techniques.

The determination in accordance with the ratio of the degree of emphasis on win may be performed in the same way as the case of determining the processing in accordance with the above-described ratio of the degree of emphasis on performance. Hence, as shown in FIG. 18B, when the X axis indicates the degree of emphasis on win and the Y axis indicates the ratio of the degree of emphasis on win, the ratio of the degree of emphasis on win corresponding to the degree of emphasis on win of the evaluation position HP may be obtained by using a line L2 which connects a point (the minimum value of the degree of emphasis on win, 0%) to a point (the maximum value of the degree of emphasis on win of, 100%). In this embodiment, the ratio of the degree of emphasis on win may be obtained by using the line L2 which connects a point (−500, 0%) and a point (+500, 100%).

According to the obtained ratio of the degree of emphasis on win, the selection method for emphasizing on win is selected from the two selection methods. For example, when the degree of emphasis on win of the evaluation position HP is 0, the ratio of the degree of emphasis on win is 50%. In this case, the selection method for emphasizing on win is selected as the selection method with a probability of 50%. When the selection method for emphasizing on win is not determined as the selection method, the unlimited selection method is determined as the selection method. Accordingly, in the evaluation regions A and B, the selection method which is likely to be selected in accordance with the value of the degree of emphasis on win (X axis) is changed. As a result, it is possible to differentiate the processing to be performed in the evaluation regions A and B.

When the selection method for emphasizing on win is determined as the selection method, a stronger technique is selected by priority (Step S560). In this embodiment, “stronger technique” device a technique in which the experience value 45 is higher than a predetermined level and the cost consumption 36 is lower than the holding cost of the current player P by a predetermined level among the selectable techniques. In the selection method for emphasizing on win, only the strong technique which satisfies the above-described conditions is extracted from the selectable techniques. When plural techniques are extracted as the strong techniques, one technique W is further randomly selected. In addition, when the unlimited selection method is selected as the selection method, one technique W is randomly selected from all of the techniques extracted as the selectable techniques (Step S570).

After the technique W is selected, it is judged whether or not the fall can be established (Step S590). The condition for establishing the fall in the processing for emphasizing on performance is that the game should be in the end stage and the vitality parameter of the fighting opponent P should be lower than a predetermined level. If it is judged that the fall can be established, the fall is assigned (Step S595) and a flag is set so as to assign the fall. After the fall assignment processing ends, the processing for emphasizing on performance ends.

The processing for emphasizing on win will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 17. In the processing for emphasizing on win, since one technique W is determined in place of the player P who does not comparatively emphasize on entertainment performance, the technique W of the player P1 is selected with the emphasis on win against the fighting opponent P. First, a level of the technique W can be used by the fighting opponent P is assumed (Step S610). For example, the level of the technique W is set to be the same as the level of technique previous used by the opponent player P. Next, the level of the technique W to be selected so as to win against the assumed level of the technique of the fighting opponent P is determined (Step S620). In this embodiment, the strength of a level is set in an order of level 1<level 2<level 3<level 1. Accordingly, when the assumed level of the technique W of the fighting opponent P4 is 2, the level of the technique W to be selected is determined as 3.

If the level of the technique W to be selected is determined, the technique ID, the experience value 45, and the cost consumption 36 of the level from the techniques W associated with the wrestler R assigned by the player P are extracted from the fighting data with reference to the storage unit G40 (Step S630). Hereinafter, the extracted techniques are called as a selectable technique. Next, a selection method of selecting one technique W from the selectable techniques is determined in accordance with the ratio of degree of emphasis on win (Step S640). In the selection method, the selection method for emphasizing on win and the unlimited selection method are prepared, and any one of the selection methods is determined in the same manner as the case of the processing for emphasizing on performance.

Therefore, in the regions C and D, the selection method which can be likely to be selected is changed depending on a value of the degree of emphasis on win (X axis) and it is possible that the processing performed in the regions C and D can be different as a result. When the selection method for emphasizing on win is determined as the selection method, a stronger technique is selected by priority from the selectable techniques. If there are plural strong techniques, one technique W is arbitrarily selected from the selected strong techniques (Step S650). The concept of the strong technique is the same as that in the processing for emphasizing on performance. On the other hand, when the unlimited selection method is determined as the selection method, one technique W is arbitrarily selected from all of the selectable techniques (Step S660).

After the technique W is selected, it is judged whether or not the fall can be established (Step S680). A condition under which the fall can be established in the processing for emphasizing on win is only that the vitality of the fighting opponent P is lower than a predetermined level. Therefore, it is judged that the fall can be established when the vitality parameter of the fighting opponent P is lower than the predetermined set value. When it is judged that the fall can be established, a flag indicating that the fall is assigned is set (Step S685). After the processing about the assignment of the fall ends, the processing for emphasizing on performance ends.

The technique result processing will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 19. First, each actual damage degree is calculated from the maximum damage degree 35 of each of the technique WP1 assigned by the player P1 and the technique WP4 assigned by the fighting opponent P4 (Step S700). The actual damage degree is a damage degree finally given to the opponent in consideration of various parameters including the maximum damage degree 35.

The actual damage degree in this embodiment is calculated by basic damage degree×corrected damage rate. The basic damage degree is a damage degree at which the wrestler R can actually exhibit among the maximum damage degrees 35 by training and which is calculated by the maximum damage degree 35 of the technique W×the experience value 45. The corrected damage rate is a value calculated depending on a parameter about a state of the fighting opponent P and a state of the player P when the technique W is used. A method of calculating the corrected damage rate may be set such that each parameter is properly reflected. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the actual damage degree in view of the experience value 45 and a situation when the technique W is used.

After the actual damage degrees of the techniques WP1 and WP4 are calculated, the level of the technique WP1 is compared with the level of the technique WP4 (Step S710). When the levels are different from each other, it is judged which technique W wins in accordance with the strength of the above-described level (Step S720). When the levels are equal to each other, it is judged which technique W wins in accordance with the actual damage degree (Step S730). In the judgment in accordance with the actual damage degree, it is judged that the technique wins, the calculated actual degree of which is higher. Therefore, when the actual damage degree of the technique WP1 is 39.9 and the actual damage degree of the technique WP4 is 30, it is judged that the technique WP1 of the player P1 wins.

Next, the vitality parameter of the wrestler of the fighting opponent P4 whose technique has lost is updated (Step S740). In particular, a value in which the actual damage degree calculated relative to the technique WP1 is subtracted from the vitality parameter of the fighting opponent P4 whose technique has lost is set as a value of the vitality parameter after updating. Next, it is judged whether or not the player P1 whose technique has won assigns the fall (Step S750). When the flag which indicates the fall assignment corresponding to the player P1 is set, it is judged that the fall is assigned. The flag which indicates the fall assignment is set in case of the above-described technique determination processing or when the player P1 whose technique has won pushes a fall button of the operating unit G10 of the game machine G1 during the technique assignment time. The term “fall” device to get three counts.

When the fall is assigned, a fall processing which determines whether or not the fall is established is performed (Step S760). The establishment of the fall is determined as follows. First, a random value is calculated and it is judged that the fall is established when an updated random value of the vitality parameter of the wrestler R receiving the fall, whose technique has lost, is 0 or less. Otherwise, it is judged that the fall is not established. For example, when a parameter about the case that the fall is established is prepared and the fall is established, the parameter is set to 1. Otherwise, the parameter is set to 0. Therefore, it is possible to judge whether or not the fall is established by checking whether the parameter about the establishment of fall is 1 or 0. When the fall is assigned, the technique result processing ends. On the other hand, when the fall is not established, the step S760 is skipped and the technique result processing ends.

An evaluation processing to be performed after the fighting game ends will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 20. The evaluation processing is performed by the control unit G70 of the game machine G. Since the evaluation processing performed by each of the game machines G1 and G4 of the players P1 and P4 to fight against each other is the same, an evaluation processing performed by the game machine G1 will be described. First, an evaluation input screen for inputting the evaluation to the fighting wrestler R4 is displayed on the monitor G50 (Step S800). At this time, the control unit G70 and the monitor G50 function as an opponent evaluation acquiring device. Since the wrestler R corresponds one to one with the player P who assigns the wrestler R, hereinafter, the evaluation to the fighting wrestler R will be described as an evaluation to the fighting opponent P.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21, the degree of emphasis on performance and the degree of emphasis on win are prepared as the evaluation items, and five ranks A to E are displayed to be selected. Each rank has a predetermined numerical value. The rank A associates with +2, the rank B associates with +1, the rank C associates with +0, the rank D associates with −1, and the rank E associates with −2, respectively. In addition, five kinds of messages are prepared such that a comment to the fighting opponent P4 can be selected. Hereinafter, the rank selected relative to the degree of emphasis on performance by the evaluation input screen is referred to as the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance, and the rank selected relative to the degree of emphasis on win is referred to as the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on win.

If the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance, the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on win, and the comment is selected by the player P1, each data is stored in the RAM G72 as the evaluation for the fighting opponent P4. At the same time, the numerical values corresponding to the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance and the evaluation of the degree on emphasis on win are regarded as evaluation data, and evaluation selection information including the evaluation data and the comment is transmitted from the communication unit G30 to the game machine G4 of the fighting opponent P4 (Step S810). On the other hand, the evaluation selection information selected as the evaluation to the player P1 by the fighting opponent P4 is transmitted from the fighting opponent P4.

When the evaluation selection information is received from the fighting opponent P4 (Step S820), the contents of the received evaluation selection information is regarded as an evaluation directed to the player by the fighting opponent P4 and displayed in forms of a list on the monitor G50, together with the evaluation to the fighting opponent P4, as shown in FIG. 22 (Step S830).

Next, a correction processing is performed so as to calculate a correction evaluation for each of the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance and the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on win (Step S840). Hereinafter, only the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on will performance will be described and the same processing is performed for the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on win. The correction evaluation of this embodiment as a correction value is calculated by “the received evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance”×“coefficient based on the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 of the fighting wrestler R4”. The coefficient based on the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 of the fighting wrestler R4 is obtained by matching linearly a numerical value range obtained by the evaluation history information 44 with a numerical value range obtained by the coefficient. That is, the coefficient is acquired from a line having the X axis which indicates the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 and the Y axis which indicates the value of the coefficient.

For example, when the degree of emphasis on performance ranges from −500 to +500 and the numerical value of the coefficient ranges from 0 to 2, it is possible to acquire the coefficient corresponding to the value of the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 of the fighting wrestler R4 by a line connecting a point (−500, 0) and a point (+500, 2). After the correction evaluation about the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance is calculated by obtaining the coefficient as described above, the correction evaluation is added to the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 of the wrestler R1 of the player P1, and the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 associated with to the wrestler R1 of the player P1 in the storage unit G40 is updated (Step S850). Accordingly, the control unit G70 functions as a evaluation history updating device.

By updating the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 as described above, in the case where the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 is high, it is possible to recognize that the player P is comparatively proper to the performance play style in accordance with the history of the evaluations from the past fighting opponents. In the case where the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 is low, it is possible to recognize that the player P is not comparatively proper to the performance play style in accordance with the history of the evaluations from the past fighting opponents.

When the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 of the fighting wrestler R has minus value, the coefficient becomes smaller than 1 and the correction evaluation becomes smaller than the degree of emphasis on performance of evaluation data. On the other hand, when the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 of the fighting wrestler R has plus value, the coefficient becomes larger than 1 and the correction evaluation becomes larger than the degree of emphasis on performance of evaluation data.

Accordingly, the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance by the fighting opponent P having a low evaluation history about the degree of emphasis on performance can have small effect on the update of the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44. Further, the evaluation of the degree of emphasis on performance by the fighting opponent P having a high evaluation history can have large effect on the update of the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44. Therefore, it is possible to sufficiently realize fairness of evaluation data. Moreover, in this embodiment, the evaluation history information 44 is controlled to constantly range from −500 to +500 by setting the degree of emphasis on performance to −500 when the degree of emphasis on performance of the evaluation history information 44 is less than −500 after update or by setting the degree of emphasis on performance to +500 when the degree of emphasis on performance is larger than +500.

The degree of emphasis on win of the evaluation history information 44 corresponding to the wrestler R1 is updated by the same processing as that in the degree of emphasis on performance. Therefore, the evaluation history information 44 indicates the accumulated evaluation to the player P (wrestler R) by the fighting opponent P. Further, other information such as the participation count 42 in the player information 40 is updated properly. After the player information 40 of the player P1 is updated, the player information 40 of the player P1 stored in the storage unit G40 is transmitted to the server S (Step S860) and the evaluation processing ends. The server S which receives the player information 40 stores the player information 40 in the game data storage device D. Accordingly, the player information 40 in the game data storage device D is updated.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the above-described embodiments, various modifications can be made. The relation for corresponding the degree of emphasis on performance and the degree of emphasis on win to the X axis and the Y axis in the coordinate space α respectively can be reversed. In addition, the maximum value and minimum value of each evaluation history are not limited to the range of −500 to +500. Each evaluation history of the evaluation history information 44 may be respectively stored, not as the coordinate value of the coordination space α, and may be treated as a coordinate value during the matching processing or the technique determination processing.

In addition, the fighting opponent does not need to be a group of the actual players who entry into the game and can be grouped with a virtual player by a computer. In this case, the player information of the virtual player may be stored in the data storage device D in advance and the virtual player may have the same player information directed to the player. When the actual player fights against the virtual player, the selection of the operation when assigning a technique for the virtual player may be performed by the technique determination processing. In addition, the evaluation to the actual player by the virtual player may be set the evaluation satisfying predetermined conditions provided in advance for each evaluation as the evaluation to the actual player.

In this embodiment, the evaluation is performed for every wrestler R and is associated with the evaluation history. Alternatively, the evaluation may be performed on the player P. In this case, the evaluation history information 44 of the player information 40 may be associated with to the player ID 41 without being prepared for every wrestler R.

The communication network N may be one which uses an exclusive-use line such as a LAN. The communication line may be wire or wireless. In addition, a matching server for performing only the matching processing may be prepared independently from the server which performs data transmission and reception with the game data storage device D. Further, if it is judged that the technique is not assigned by the player during the technique assignment time, the server may perform the technique determination processing by transmitting a technique determination request from the game machine to the server. In this case, a technique ID determined by the server is transmitted to a game machine which is a transmission source of the technique determination request and the cost consumption is updated based on the received technique ID in the game machine.

In this embodiment, each game machine is directly connected to the communication network, but several game machines may be connected to each of servers installed in one shop and may be connected to the communication network N through the servers installed in the shop. In this case, an IP address and a device number are assigned to each server installed in the shop, and thus each game machine can identify the IP address and the device number within the communication network N.

In addition, the number of players grouped in the game is not limited to two and may be three or more. The numerical value and contents of the comment which are corresponding to each rank at the evaluation processing may be properly changed. The ranks to be selected are not limited to 5 and it is enough to prepare plural ranks. In addition, an order for data transmission and reception with other game machines in the fighting game processing and the evaluation processing is not important. The experience value 45 of each technique may be set to be changed according to a training processing. The evaluation by the fighting opponent may not be displayed on the monitor.

Obviously, numerous other modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. 

1. A game system comprising: a plurality of game apparatuses configured to perform data transmission and reception through a communication line; a player information storage device configured to store player identification information that identifies each of a plurality of players respectively operating the plurality of game apparatuses in association with player information including an evaluation history indicative of a history of evaluation to play of corresponding player; and an evaluation history processing device configured to execute a processing based on the evaluation history of the player information, wherein players grouped by a predetermined way from the plurality of players to play a game, each of the plurality of game apparatuses includes a game control unit configured to control the game played by a player operating the game apparatus and other players grouped with the player, an opponent evaluation acquiring unit configured to acquire evaluations to other players by the player operating the game apparatus about a plurality of evaluation items relative to play contents of the game, and an evaluation history updating unit configured to acquire the evaluation to the player operating the game apparatus, the evaluation being acquired by the opponent evaluation acquiring units of the game apparatuses of other players as evaluation to the player, and updates the evaluation history corresponding to the evaluation items included in the player information of the player operating the game apparatus by the acquired evaluation to the player relative to the plurality of evaluation items, and the evaluation history processing device includes an evaluation position specifying unit configured to refer to the evaluation history included in the player information, and to set a value corresponding to each evaluation history as a coordinate value in a coordinate space defined by coordinate axes of the plurality of evaluation items to specify an evaluation position of the player corresponding to the player information in the coordinate space, and an evaluation position processing unit configured to perform a processing about the game based on the specified evaluation position.
 2. The game system according to claim 1, further comprising: a server configured to perform data transmission and reception with the plurality of game apparatuses, wherein the evaluation history processing device is provided in the server, the evaluation position specifying unit of the evaluation history processing device specifies the evaluation positions of the plurality of players, and the evaluation position processing unit groups players whose specified evaluation positions have a predetermined relation.
 3. The game system according to claim 2, wherein the evaluation position processing unit determines groups such that a distance between the specified evaluation positions corresponding to the players to be grouped is in a predetermined range.
 4. The game system according to claim 1, wherein: the evaluation history processing device is provided in the game apparatus; the evaluation position specifying unit of the evaluation history processing device specifies the evaluation position of the player operating the game apparatus; the evaluation position processing unit determines an operation to the game apparatus depending on the specified evaluation position; and the game control unit performs the processing about the game based on the operation determined by the evaluation position processing unit as an operation performed by the player operating the game apparatus.
 5. The game system according to claim 4, wherein, when the game control unit judges that the operation to the game apparatus of the player operating the game apparatus is not performed during a predetermined input time in the game: the evaluation position specifying unit specifies the evaluation position; and the evaluation position processing unit determines the operation.
 6. The game system according to claim 5, wherein: the game is a professional wrestling game; the plurality of evaluation items includes a degree of emphasis on performance indicting an evaluation as a professional wrestling and a degree of emphasis on win indicating an evaluation as a fighting game; the coordinate space is divided into a plurality of regions; the evaluation position specifying unit refers to the evaluation history corresponding to each of the degree of emphasis on win and the degree of emphasis on performance of the player to specify the evaluation position of the player; and the evaluation position processing unit judges which region of the plurality of regions includes the specified evaluation position and performs a processing depending on the region including the evaluation position to determine the operation.
 7. The game system according to claim 6, wherein the processing depending on the region is a processing based on a proceed criterion of an actual professional wrestling match in a region having a high degree of emphasis on performance, and is a processing to cause the player to win against an opponent depending on a win-loss criterion of the game in a region having a low degree of emphasis on performance.
 8. A method of controlling game information in a game, the method comprising: storing player identification information for identifying each of a plurality of players in association with player information including an evaluation history indicative of a history of evaluation to play of corresponding player; referring to the player information corresponding to each of players grouped from the plurality of players; acquiring evaluations to a specific player by other players grouped with the player about a plurality of evaluation items relative to game contents; updating the evaluation history corresponding to the evaluation items included in the player information of the specific player depending on the acquired evaluations by the other players about the plurality of evaluation items; referring to each evaluation history included in the player information of the specific player, and setting a value corresponding to the evaluation history as a coordinate value in a coordinate space defined by coordinate axes of the plurality of evaluation items to specify an evaluation position of the player corresponding to the player information in the coordinate space; and executing a processing about the game based on the specified evaluation position. 